ISS Operations Update – May 23, 2016

Experiments:

Marrow – Blood, Breath & Air Sampling [The MARROW study, known by its full name Bone Marrow Adipose Reaction: Red Or White?, looks at the effect of microgravity on the human bone marrow. It is known that prolonged exposure to microgravity, just like long bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on bone marrow and the production of blood cells. The extent of this effect and possible recovery are of interest in space research and for application on Earth.]

Auxin Transport Experiment Run – Retrieval of samples from MELFI Freezer and installation in Cell Biology Experiment Unit (CBEF) for incubation [This study operated by JAXA looka at the role of auxins in pea and corn seedlings grown in microgravity to gain new insight in the effect of gravity on plant development.]

Rodent Research (RR-3) – Inventory and Experiment Closeout [Rodent Research 3, named after the sponsoring company Eli Lilly and Co., will conduct a close study of myostatin inhibition for the prevention of sekeletal muscle atrophy and weakness in mice during long-duration spaceflight. A rapid loss of bone and muscle mass is observed in astronauts during spaceflight, especially to the legs and spine at rates similar to atrophy in people with muscle-wasting deseases on Earth. The study makes use of mice as a model organism to examine the response to certain drugs preventing muscle or bone loss.]